UmTshumayeli 2
1 Ngathi mina enhliziyweni yami: Woza-ke, ngizakuzama ngentokozo, njalo kholisa okuhle. Khangela-ke, lalokhu kwakuyize.
I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure;” and behold, this also was vanity.
2 Ngokuhleka ngathi: Kuyibuhlanya! Langentokozo: Kwenzani?
I said of laughter, “It is foolishness;” and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”
3 Ngadinga enhliziyweni yami ukuthokozisa inyama yami ngewayini (kodwa ngakhokhela inhliziyo yami ngenhlakanipho), lokubambelela ebuthutheni, ngize ngibone ukuthi kuyini lokho okulungele abantwana babantu, abangakwenza ngaphansi kwamazulu, ngenani lensuku zempilo zabo.
I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.
4 Ngazenzela imisebenzi emikhulu; ngazakhela izindlu; ngazihlanyelela izivini;
I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.
5 ngazenzela izivande lezivande zezihlahla; ngahlanyela kuzo izihlahla zezithelo zohlobo lonke;
I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit.
6 ngazenzela amachibi amanzi okuthelela ngawo ihlathi lokukhulisa izihlahla;
I made myself pools of water, to water the forest where trees were grown.
7 ngathenga izigqili lezigqilikazi, ngaba labazalelwe endlini; njalo ngaba lemfuyo enengi yenkomo lezimvu okwedlula bonke ababekhona ngaphambi kwami eJerusalema;
I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem.
8 ngazibuthela futhi isiliva legolide lemfuyo ekhethekileyo yamakhosi leyamazwe; ngazizuzela abahlabeleli labahlabelelikazi, lentokozo zabantwana babantu, amantombazana emihlobo yonke.
I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men: musical instruments of all sorts.
9 Ngakho ngaba mkhulu nganda okwedlula wonke owayekhona ngaphambi kwami eJerusalema, lenhlakanipho yami yema lami.
So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.
10 Lakho konke amehlo ami akufisayo kangiwancitshanga khona, kangigodlanga inhliziyo yami lakuyiphi intokozo; ngoba inhliziyo yami yathokoza ekutshikatshikeni kwami konke; lalokhu kwaba yisabelo sami somtshikatshika wami wonke.
Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.
11 Mina ngasengikhangela yonke imisebenzi izandla zami eziyenzileyo, lomtshikatshika engangitshikatshike ukuwenza; khangela-ke, konke kwakuyize lokukhathazeka komoya, njalo kwakungekho nzuzo ngaphansi kwelanga.
Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 Mina ngasengibuyela ukubona inhlakanipho lobuhlanya lobuthutha. Ngoba angenzani umuntu olandela inkosi? Lokho okuvele sekwenziwe.
I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.
13 Mina ngasengibona ukuthi inhlakanipho ingcono kulobuthutha njengokukhanya kungcono kulomnyama.
Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.
14 Ohlakaniphileyo, amehlo akhe asekhanda lakhe, kodwa isithutha sihamba emnyameni; ngasengisazi lami ukuthi isehlakalo sinye sehlela bonke.
The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.
15 Mina ngasengisithi enhliziyweni yami: Njengoba kusehlela isithutha kuzangehlela lami; pho, kungani-ke mina ngangihlakaniphe okwedlulisileyo? Ngasengikhuluma enhliziyweni yami ukuthi lokhu lakho kuyize.
Then I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
16 Ngoba kakukho ukukhunjulwa kohlakaniphileyo okwedlula koyisithutha phakade; ngoba lokhu okukhona khathesi ensukwini ezizayo konke kuzakhohlakala. Ohlakaniphileyo ufa njani? Njengesithutha.
For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory forever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool!
17 Ngasengizonda impilo, ngoba umsebenzi owenziwa ngaphansi kwelanga wawubuhlungu kimi; ngoba konke kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
18 Yebo, mina ngawuzonda wonke umtshikatshika wami engawutshikatshika ngaphansi kwelanga, ngoba ngizawutshiyela umuntu ozakuba khona ngemva kwami.
I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
19 Ngubani-ke owaziyo ukuthi uzakuba ngohlakaniphileyo kumbe oyisithutha? Kanti uzabusa phezu kwawo wonke umtshikatshika wami engawutshikatshikayo lengiwenze ngenhlakanipho ngaphansi kwelanga. Lokhu lakho kuyize.
Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 Mina ngasengiphenduka ngadangalisa inhliziyo yami ngomtshikatshika wonke engangiwutshikatshika ngaphansi kwelanga.
Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.
21 Ngoba kulomuntu omtshikatshika wakhe ukunhlakanipho lakulwazi lakubuqotho, kanti uzawunika umuntu ongatshikatshikanga kuwo ube yisabelo sakhe. Lokhu lakho kuyize, lobubi obukhulu.
For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 Ngoba ulani umuntu ngomtshikatshika wakhe wonke langokukhathazeka kwenhliziyo yakhe akutshikatshike ngaphansi kwelanga?
For what does a man have of all his labor and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?
23 Ngoba insuku zakhe zonke zizinsizi, lomsebenzi wakhe uyikudabuka; lebusuku inhliziyo yakhe kayiphumuli. Lokhu lakho kuyize.
For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
24 Kakukho okungcono emuntwini kulokuthi adle anathe abonise umphefumulo wakhe okuhle emtshikatshikeni wakhe. Lokhu lakho mina ngabona ukuthi kuvela esandleni sikaNkulunkulu.
There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25 Ngoba ngubani ongadla kumbe ngubani ongakholisa kulami?
For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?
26 Ngoba yena uyamnika umuntu olungileyo phambi kobuso bakhe inhlakanipho lolwazi lentokozo; kodwa isoni uyasinika umsebenzi wokubutha lokubuthelela ukunika olungileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
